Shifting topsails.



- no. 7n|`,s7|. .Patented 'June 3,1902.

` A; KEEGAN. y

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@Application med May 22, 1901.)

i (No Model.)

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c 'to UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. Y

AUSTIN KEEGAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SHIFTING TOPSAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,571, dated June 3, 1902. Application filed May 22, l901. Serial No. 61,415. (No model.)

T0 ctll'wtomf. it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUSTIN KEEGAN, a citizen of the United States, residingfat San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inShifting Topsails, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the management of topsails in vessels rigged fore and aft, such as the large schooners now so frequently used in the coasting and foreign trade. Threemasted schooners are common, and vessels of this type with four and even five masts are frequently seen in our ports. The fore-andaft rig is more easily handled than the square rig and b'y a smaller crew. The mainsails, by which I mean the vfore-and-aft sails on the lower masts, shift themselves in tacking, the booms and gaffs swinging'across as the helm is put over. In order to give mutual support to the masts and topmasts, however, they are braced longitudinally by strong horizontal and diagonal stays, the former connecting two lower` mastheads and the latter extending from the end of a topmast to the head ofthe lower mast in advance. The gaffs, ybeing pivoted to the lower masts, can swingunder the horizontal or spring stay; but the topsails extending from gaffs to topmast-heads are obstructed by the stays referred to. In shifting topsails on a four-masted schooner four hands must be sent aloft to manage the shifting of these sails under the stays, and the vessel is liable to be rendered short-handed on deck. f

The object of my invention is to provide means for shifting topsails from the deck of the vessel.

A practical embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is an elevation of part of two masts and two topmasts with a topsail set. Fig.r2 is an elevation of the forward' mast of Fig. l looking from the stern of the vessel. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the sail-guides and the shifting-switch. Fig. 4. is aside elevation of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the topmast.Vv Fig. 6 is a detail view of the block which guides the head of the shifting sail. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. Sis a modification of the shifting-switch.

The drawings are supposed to represent topsail-rigging for a tWo-masted schooner.

A is the mainmast; A, the main topmast; B, the foremast; B', the foretopmast; C, the gaff swinging on the foremast, and D the foretopsail extending from the said gait to the head of the foretopmast.

E is the usual horizontal spring-stay, and F is the diagonal jumper-stay.

The vessel is on the port tack.

The usual hoops securing the sail to the topmast are done away with. Instead the edge of the sail is provided with traveler-clips 1, which embrace one or the other of two guiderails G, secured to the after part of the topmast and placed as closely together as practicable, Fig. 5. At the head of the sail is a hank or ring 2, connected to a clip 3, and the latter is attached to the halyard H, which is the rope by which the sail is hoisted and shiftedLfrom both sides of the deck. A block I, having two sheaves e 5, is suspended at the topmast-head, and a block J, with a single she-ave 6, is fixed to the mast near the lower ends of the guiderails G. From the starboard side of the deck the halyard I-I extends up to and over one of the sheaves of block I, then downand vunder the block J, then up and over the other 'sheave of block I, then down to the port side of the deck. When the sail is hoisted, its head is brought up to the block I, and both ends of the halyard are made fast on deck. The travelers l space themselves properly on the guide-rail just as the hoops or hanksnordi` lnarily. used would adjust themselves upon the topmast itself. Below the guide-rails G is an adjustable pivoted switch-bar K, having a lever L, from'whichhauling-ropes 7 8 go to the deck. VThe guide-rails'are bent at an angle, so asto bridge the mast and topmast, and their lower-.ends are preferably somewhat curved, softhat they converge inwardly in order that the switch may meet them in a direct line instead of at an angle, as shown in Fig. 3. Formed with orsecured to the lower ends of the guide-rails is aplate M, having a rib 9, which enters a recess 10 in the, switch, Fig. A, and soholds the latter and supports it against the pull of ,the lowered sail. Further, the plate Mhas ,'slot-and-pin connections l1 with the lower mast, so that the spring of the topmast will do no injury IOO to the guides by putting a strain upon them, as might be the case were they rigidly secured to the lower mast.

When the vessel is to be put about and the topsail shifted, both ends of halyard H are cast 0H on deck, and the topsail is hauled down in the usual way by the downhaul N on the starboard side or port side, as the case may be. In the drawings it would be the starboard side. The switch either has been or is before hauling down the sail thrown to the starboard guide-rail. The sail comes down, the clips piling up on the switch. The block J has its casing slotted at the bottom, as shown at 12, Figs. 6 7, so that the head of the sail can follow around the block, the clip 3 passing ed gewise through the slot. The whole sail is then shifted under the stays by hauling the switch over until it coincides with the port guide-rail, suitable stops 13 being employed to limit the movement of the switch. The sail can now be hoisted on the port side by hauling upon the halyard H from the port side of the deck, transferring it to the port guide-rail. When the sail has been properly hoisted and set, both ends of the halyards are made fast below.

The advantages of this rigging will be apparent to sailors. Not only are the topsails more easily shifted than is now possible, but no hands are required aloft, which in large schooners with small crews is an advantage of very marked character.

I do not limit myself to the specific constructions herein described and shown in the drawings, as I desire to avail myself of such modifications and equivalents as fall properly within the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the mast and topmast of a vessel and a stay connecting said mast to an adjacent mast, a topsail, and means operable from the deck of the vessel for shifting said topsail under said stay.

2. In combinationjwith the masts of a vessel and a stay connecting them, a topsail, means for hauling down the sail, means for shifting the sail under said stay, and means for hoisting the sail upon the other side of the stay, all of such means being operable from the deck of the vessel.

3. In combination with a topmast and topsail, parallel guides on said mast, means for securing the sail movably to said guides, means for lowering and hoisting the sail, and means for transferring the lowered sail from one guide to the other.

4. In combination with a topmast and topsail,a single halyard made fast to the sailhead, a block over which the halyard passes, said halyard having a bight therein,both ends of said halyard being on deck and the sail being hoisted by drawing upon either end, whereby the sail-head may be held to port or starboard, substantially as described.

t 5. In combination with a topmast and topsail, a two-sheave block at the masthead, a single-sheave block near the foot of the topmast, and a single hoisting-halyard having both ends on deck, and extending from one side of the deck over one sheave of the upper block, thence under the lower block, thence over the other sheave of the upper block, and thence to the other side of the deck, the head of the sail being secured to said halyard, whereby the sail-head may be held to port or starboard.

6. 4A mast having parallel guide-tracks, a sail movable on either of said tracks, a pivoted switch adapted to coincide with either track, means for hoisting and lowering the sail, and means for throwing the switch.

'7. In combination with a mast having parallel guidetracks upon which the topsail travels in hoisting and lowering, a pivoted switch-bar adapted to coincide with either guide-rail, a lever attached thereto and hauling-ropes from said lever to the deck.

8. In combination with a mast and sail, guides upon which the sail travels in hoisting and lowering, clips secured to the edge of the sail and engaging with one of said guides, and a switch adapted to receive said clips from the guide,and then to transfer the1n,witl1 the sail, to alinement with the other guide.

9. In a rigging for shifting topsails, a halyard, a clip connecting the head of the sail to said halyard, a guide-block for said halyard, and a slot in said block to permit the passage of said clip.

10. In a rigging for shifting topsails,guides on the mast to one of which the sail is connected, a halyard to which the head of the sail is secured, a switch for receiving the sail from one guide and transferring it to the other, and a guide-block for the halyard having a slot to admit and pass the clip which sc cures the ',head of the sail to said halyard.

1l. In combination with a mast, sail-guides thereon, a pivoted switch for receiving the lowered sail bodily and transferring it under the masthead stay, and a guide for the free end of such switch.

12. In combination with a mast and top mast, sail-guides secured to the topmast, but bridging to and loosely connected with the mast.

13. In combination with a mast and top lnast, parallel sail-guides secured to the topmast, a plate forming part of said guides, and having a loose connection with the mast, a rib on said plate, and a pivoted switch-bar having its free end in engagement with said rib.

In testimony whereof I have ailixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 10th day of May, 1901.

AUSTIN K EEGAN.

IVitncsses:

L. W. SEELY, F. M. BURT.

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